Winther
by muertalas
Summary: Neri Winther is a rather odd trainer. She doesn't have any special powers, no, nor does she fall in love with anyone. She's more... eccentric, than anything. Based on the Platinum storyline.


I should not be allowed to write on the computer after midnight.  
I've had this idea and this character - as well as Nobody and Victor, two of my characters that were shown in another standalone - for a very long time.  
I happen to love her. She's kind of awesome. And I don't normally have original female characters, if I'm writing OCs whatsoever.  
If I update this, it'll be whenever I want to. It's also based somewhat on the Diamond/Pearl/Platinum storylines. Mostly Platinum.

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**Chapter 1: In Which We Learn of Sneaky Haunters and Nerds**

When the small pebble shot out through the night, whizzing by a feline-like creature's long pointed ear, its yowl was high-pitched enough to result in a vulgarity being spewed into the otherwise calm, innocent evening air. The cottages resting upon the shore-kissed terrain were warm, the aftereffects of dinnertime lighting flooding out into the otherwise poorly illuminated streets. With another mumble of "_Delcatty,_" the creature slunk away into the increasing shadows as natural visibility depleted.

The voice was soon shown to belong to a teenaged girl, square glasses sliding down her long, pointed nose. Her choppy bangs irritated the dark, dull eyes even more, and with another quiet curse, she tucked them behind her ears. A somewhat stuffed backpack was slung across her body, the jingling of gear echoing slightly against the houses that the girl passed. A small fang hung from a silver chain around her neck.

"Alrighty then, that's it," she said in an agitated tone. She dug in a side-pocket of her bag for a short while before she finally withdrew a gold and black sphere. Clicking the button set in the middle of it, it opened to reveal a blinding scarlet ray and then nothing. The girl closed it quickly and looked up at the flying, balloon-shaped creature floating before her. "Candlejack, if you'd be so kind and bring that thief back to me, please."

The violet Pokémon gave a squeaky "_Drif!_" and glided up and over the rooftops. The trainer walked over to the edge of the sidewalk and squatted there, glancing at her watch and wincing showily at the time. "Damn Haunter's makin' me late," she huffed. "Like _hell_ is he staying outta his Poké Ball tonight now."

Another burst of light, and the teenager chuckled as if she'd predicted it naught but a moment beforehand. "_Espeon! Esp-espeon!_" mewled the ragged-looking cat-fox. She reached over a scratched behind its lavender ears.

"Your input is appreciated, Sauron, no doubt 'bout that."

"_Espeon!_"

"No, you can't have Ironhide's food for the next week; that would just be cruel."

"_Esp-esp-espy! Espeon!_"

The girl looked up and cocked her head slightly, eyebrows raised. "What do you _mean_ that's what you'd do? You're not me, my friend: I'm human and you are Pokémon." She gestured several times at the pair of them with both hands, and laughed. "See? Differences abound!"

The Espeon merely growled in frustration and tossed its head. The girl yawned, failing at covering it with a tight fist against her mouth, and replied, "Whatever. You're crazy."

A short silence followed, punctuated only by the slight breeze that wafted throughout the town and then the hushed noises of a pair of all-too-familiar Pokémon: Haunter and Drifblim, Ironhide and Candlejack.

The girl jumped up on her feet at the sound, stuffing her hands in her jeans pockets as Sauron trailed behind her, oil slick eyes glowing in the evergrowing darkness of the evening. The tail of the girl's hair darted against the back of her neck as Candlejack hovered before her, a grinning violet specter behind it. A decapitated being with marionette hands waved; Ironhide the Haunter.

As she pet the Drifblim gently, she glared at the offender. "_You_ have made me _late_, and _you_ are going in your _Ball_ until tomorrow night. How d'you them apples, hm?"

"_Haunter! Haunt-haunt-haunt!_" it cackled loudly.

"I stopped caring about how dated my slang is a very long time ago," the trainer replied airily. She speedily retrieved a red and white ball from her bag and held it out in front of her. "Now, into the Ball you go. Last thing I need is to be run outta here 'cause _you_ don't know the difference between little girls and porcelain dolls."

Ironhide giggled once more, circling its trainer affectionately, mischievously, before its form evaporated into the capsule. She stared at it in bewilderment, _Not usually so easy... _and then turned to the other two creatures gazing at her in equal confusion. The trainer grinned brightly, clapping her hands together with a snap and turned to Candlejack. "You're tired, aren't ya, boy-o?" The beast hovered, repeating its name in tell-tale exhaustion. "Thought so! You deserve a rest, then." She held open the side-pocket in which all of the containers were stored; a burst of red and then the Drifblim was gone.

"And you," she added, looking down at the Espeon that sat on its haunches, naïve curiosity upon its face, "can stay out here to keep me company. No need to walk these ever-so-lonely streets when you've got some beasties with you, yeah?"

The trainer started up her pace once more as the lavender cat-fox said something in its own tongue.

"Yeah, you're right," she replied, raising her hands above her head in a tired manner, "I really do need some human friends. Talk to you guys _way_ too much for it to be healthy."

"_Espeon!_"

"Especially since I only have an idea about what you're saying, too," she smirked.

"_Esp!_"

The teenager looked as though she'd been hit with something very heavy and grumbled at her companion. "Quit talkin' about my mother like that, y'loon."

*******

The laboratory was, to say the very least, enormous compared to the rest of the town. Its main building was red brick, covered in the beginnings of ivy vines and the scars of blown-up computers. Fluorescent light flooded out of the high windows, showcasing ceiling-tall bookshelves and papers. A small addition to the lab had been placed on the side: much homier than the other, though completely darkened on the inside.

The trainer raised a hand and slammed her open palm on the large door in front of her. She placed the majority of her weight to one side as she patted Sauron absentmindedly, mumbling, "Behave yourself tonight, my crazy friend. Oak said that this Rowan guy isn't really the joking type and the last thing I need is a replay of Elm–"

The rest of her words were interrupted by the laboratory's light fixtures scorching her retinas. Blinking rapidly, she pushed her glasses up her nose and gave a hesitant smile at the somewhat middle-aged man standing before her, clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. He peered at her behind round spectacles, thinning black hair somewhat greasy from working. "Yes?" he asked after a moment, clicking the pen rhythmically.

"Uh," stammered the trainer lamely, "this is Professor Rowan's lab, right?"

The assistant opened the door wider and nodded.

"Oak sent me, told me to look up Sinnoh's resident professor when I showed up. Took a bit longer than I thought, sorry. M'Haunter likes to stir up trouble sometimes," she rambled while the assistant ushered her in, followed closely by Sauron. "He's a bit of a jerk that way, but real sweet when he's not being a complete_ clown_. Think it came from me, to be honest."

The assistant pushed her down a long aisle of bookcases as she rambled, the Espeon making the occasional mewling of amusement. Her backpack dug into her spine, elevating the apparent ache in her bones. Goddamn, she needed to sit down soon.

"Professor? This girl says Oak sent her," piped up the white-coat before he turned on his heel and left the way he'd come. But the trainer only glanced backward and grimaced:

"I wish people would tell me when I won't shut up for God's sake!"

She placed her hands on her hips and looked back at the white-haired man sitting in a straight-backed chair near a small table. Rowan breathed out harshly, ruffling his thick mustache, and peered at the teenager with bright blue eyes. He stood and outstretched a large hand, which she took immediately. "My name is Rowan, as I'm sure you were already aware. I must ask your name, though; Oak seems to forget that I check my mail so rarely."

The girl gave a lop-sided smile. "Neri Winther at your service. And that," she nodded at the Espeon beside her, "is Sauron. He's the one that's behavin' tonight, so he gets to meet you first." The lavender creature called out its name enthusiastically as if on cue.

"Hm!" murmured the professor in what seemed to be an appreciative tone. "And I take it that you have been training for some time?"

Neri chuckled. "I've lost track of time, to be honest. I was runner-up at the Indigo Plateau, lost completely at the Silver Conference, et cetera. We've had our ups and downs."

"You lost at the Silver Conference?" asked Rowan.

"Yeah. It was a pretty close battle by my standards, but the guy just kept putting everyone on my team to sleep. After a while, you just know when to concede defeat, I guess." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed, as she bit her lower lip. "But that's not why I'm here!"

Rowan shook his head, agreeing, "No, it is not. I was hoping you could possibly assist me in something. Oak mentioned that you were heading here and recommended you for the job. I hope he wasn't wrong?"

"Nope, of course not."

"Hm! Good! Then I must ask this then: You are in possession of a Pokédex, correct?" When Neri replied that yes, she did indeed have one, he continued. "Has it been updated as of yet?" No, not as far as she could tell. "Then may I see it for a moment?"

Neri handed the red device over to the professor, now sitting down and rubbing at her aching knees. Sauron sidled up beside her and crouched down to the cold, tiled floor, closing its eyes for a minute or two, presumably setting off to dreamland. The bespectacled girl watched as Rowan placed the compact machine into another, much larger one, pressing multiple buttons while a few lights flashed. A second passed and her Pokédex was spat out, though nothing physical about it seemed to have changed. The professor walked back over and placed it next to her on the table.

"The information within is now updated to the highest degree," Rowan announced.

Neri grinned widely and grabbed at it as if a child in a candy store on free day. She flicked through the different files, skimming the new information with eager eyes; Sauron's ears twitched slightly, but he remained stone-still. "This is the best thing I've heard all _day_!" She pumped her fist in the air and stowed the device in her pants pocket, all the while beaming at the older man stood before her. "Thanks so much!"

"Hm! I'm glad you enjoy it so much, Ms. Winther."

"Dude, 'enjoy' would be an understatement, but I'll take it," she chuckled.

Rowan's mustache ruffled again and he placed a hand on his chin. "You will be taking the Sinnoh League challenge, correct?"

"I was hoping to," shrugged Neri. "Why d'you ask?"

But she was only met with silence and a piercing gaze, resulting in her increased bewilderment. A minute passed as the uncomfortable tension stayed, the professor obviously deep in thought, and after she had had enough, Neri spoke up, yawning. "I'll see you later then, professor. Thanks again for everything."

"Hm? Oh! I apologize!" Rowan crossed his arms across his chest as he showed her out of the book-covered aisle. "Neri, I wish you the best of luck on your adventure, then!"

The teenager grinned once more as she walked out of the laboratory, Sauron on her heels. The night air hit her like the exhaust of a car, its surprising heat taking her by surprise for a moment. Nonetheless, her hands found her pockets as she strolled toward the nearest Pokémon Center, exhaustion suddenly welling up in her muscles and skeleton. She cracked her neck and yawned again.

"_Espeon!_"

Neri sighed, "I don't care if it's bad for you, dude. Felt good."

"_Esp!_"

"Okay, now?" she started as they neared the glowing outline of the neon-scarlet center, a large letter _P_ atop it, "Now you're just being vulgar."


End file.
